Saturday, August 27, 2016

Right Brain, Left Brain, Quilter's Block

There are times when I'm making a quilt --especially one that isn't a specific block pattern-- that I make decisions as I go along (for example, the Gwen-inspired medallion quilt). Occasionally there are times when my brain gives me no ideas for the next step and I get stuck, stopped completely. I can't come up with the next idea, the next step, the next shape, color, pattern, the next anything. I assumed it was just me and how my mind works. But maybe not.

I happened onto Mary Lou Weidman's book, Quilted Memories: Celebrations of Life, when I was at the library the other day. She wrote something I found really interesting.

I have read everything I could find about creativity over my lifetime. I have also read a lot about writing and what is called writer's block. Writer's block is similar to what many quilters go through when they start having doubts about their design.
Whether you know it or not, this is the battle of right brain vs. left brain. Both sides of the brain have their own roles. Left brain is in charge of analytical traits, reasoning, and math. Right brain likes play, design, and creativity. Now, we need both our right brain and our left brain, but there is something you may not know. The left brain likes to take over in some people, and in others the right brain takes over. When you go to work on a quilt design and you start thinking "I can't do this! What made me think I can design my own quilt?" that is the left brain saying, "Hey, let me take over, let's do something I like to do." Many people follow the left brain and give up. But if you can challenge your brain and give it a few right-brain exercises, you can get into right-brain mode.

It's not just me! And since she includes some right-brain exercises to try I should be able to get past my occasional "quilt block." The book also has a section called, "How to Increase Your Creativity Quotient" in which the author offers an annotated list of a dozen suggestions. There were lots of good ideas but I was especially pleased with her suggestion to "Start more than one project." Do quilters really need encouragement to do that?!

Maybe your library has the book and you can see the whole list. (I don't want to violate copyright and include it here.) Mary Lou blogs at Mary Lou and Whimsy Too if you'd like to see some of her work and read more of her ideas.

16 comments:

I have done many "design as you go" type quilts over the years and inevitably I stall at least once (oftentimes more than once) along the way. Leaving the project on my design wall while I work on other things helps me ponder possibilities without feeling stuck. When inspiration finally hits I can go back to it. Sometimes things stay on the wall a long time! : )

It sounds like several of us do the same thing. I'm finding that I can't force inspiration, but I also notice that if I completely forget about a quilt-in-waiting, as in, give it NO thought at all, I never get inspiration for the next step. I think keeping it visible, as you do on your design wall, is a big help.

I've never given too much thought to right and left brain with regards to quilting and quilter's block so this was interesting to learn. I think I'm more left-brained, too, but I guess I must be working to let my right brain have a say, too.

Weidman's books and quilts are bright, colorful, exuberant. And while I would probably never make a quilt like any of hers, I find I can learn from her and put it to use in some of my own quilts.

I agree with the comments above, leaving a stalled project and working on another gives time for the block to shift. I can block when creativity runs dry and when logic tells me an idea is way beyond my skills!

Great post! I too get stuck, often... I do find leaving things up on the design wall, walking away, and having a bit of a think helps. I guess doubt is all part of the process? And being open to changing things?

That walking away and having a bit of a think is a really great idea, Linda. I sometimes find myself omitting the walking away part and just sit, staring at the quilt, as if some idea will instantly flow into my brain (which is rarely does).

I don't think I know any quilters are absolutely confident about their choices from the very beginning. I suppose they wouldn't need a design wall, would they? So I think you're right that doubt contributes to the process.

I agree about the being open to change. Sometimes I'm tied to some particular aspect of a quilt-in-progress -- a color, an arrangement, etc. -- when, if I would just play a little more ideas and inspiration might come more quickly.

Thanks for adding your thoughts to this conversation. I appreciate it.

So it sounds like you actually put away the quilts you're stalled on or have a block about. Are they in the back of your mind or you just don't think about them at all for a while? Either way, I think a break from a quilt could be a good idea.

Thanks for contributing to the conversation, Gypsy Quilter. I appreciate it.

My biggest quilter's block seems to come when I try to resume working on an old UFO. That's when all my negative bummer thoughts come forward, like, "You'll never finish this," or, "You can't figure this out from where you were on it," or, "These fabrics are all dated so no one will ever like this quilt even if you do finish it." It is so hard to still the inner critic for long enough to get going again.

I doubt myself all the time. I especially find it hard to choose fabrics and can be quite stymied at that first stage. I tend to look around the web to see what other people have chosen and use that as a guide for myself. But I do know to save things...at some point they will come back out and I will seem to be able to figure out what next to do. It's so good to read a post like this, just to know I'm not alone with my doubts and negative thoughts. I do love quilting so I know it is all worth it. Thanks for such a thoughtful post.

I think it's good that you keep working at/playing with fabric, colors, and patterns, Jocelyn. I think the more we do in a thoughtful way, the better we'll get, gaining confidence along the way. Thanks for adding a comment and joining the conversation, Jocelyn.

Hello, Friend,

Welcome to my little blog. I'm pleased you stopped by for a visit. I hope you'll take a few minutes to look around. I blog mostly about quilts but you'll find posts about other creative endeavors, books, quotes, an occasional video, etc. Please leave a comment to let me know you've been here and I'll try to visit your blog, too. Come back soon!--Nancy.